The Smell Of Grass And Winstons
by crylittlesister4
Summary: Ruby "Roo" McCarthy has known Chris Chambers since their first conversation about crayons in kindergarten. She and him always knew they had an unbreakable bond, but it wasn't until they discovered the body at Back Harlow Road, that she realized they would be even closer. *Summary might be boring but give it a chance!
1. Eavesdropping Under The Porch

**Hey guys!**

**I've had an account here before, but I thought my stories weren't that great, so I thought I'd give it another go.**

**Typical, typical, a girl added in boring boring, falls in love with Chris even MORE boring, But hey now, I am gonna try to make it different, give it a chance ;)  
**

**If you're gonna criticize, go right ahead! I need it, but just go easy on me, I am fairly new.**

**Just be forewarned, some things are changed, and parts of the movie AND book have been added, and a bit of my own little twist lets just say.**

**Credit to the wonderful Stephen King and Rob Reiner.**

**Enjoy!**

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"You guys wanna go see a dead body?" Vern Tessio's voice rang through my ears, and the treehouse went silent. All of the childish grins faded off our faces and we all looked right at Vern, wide eyed. Vern never said this sort of stuff out of the blue because he was, well…Vern; the one who used to cry when a black cat crossed his path, insisting he was gonna die the next day. . A cold draft slowly slithered its way into the rusty screen door of our treehouse, making my skin crawl. Vern looked so serious, and it made me feel a little ill.

"What did you just say?" I tried to laugh, but It felt like I had an ostrich egg lodged into my throat.

"Do you mean…Ray Brower's body?" Gordie Lachance half-whispered and I gulped, _oh my god._

We all knew who Ray Brower was; he was a kid our age…_that went missing. _He liked the same T.V programmes and loved strawberry milkshakes, he was a kid like us. We had been following the story for a couple of weeks on my father's old baby blue radio that was placed in the corner of our treehouse. Ray Brower was from Chamberlain, a bigger town with a bit more money, just outside our super small town, (Castle Rock, both located in Maine) He was going to pick blueberries for his mother in Back Harlow Road, but he never came home.

"I was under the porch looking for those pennies you know?" Vern started, and I smiled the teeniest bit.

When Vern was really into Pirates, he'd hid a jar of pennies under the Tessio's front porch, he'd drawn a treasure map for it and everything; but his mother was cleaning his room out one day, and had thrown out the map. Vern had been looking for that jar of pennies for four entire years, he didn't know whether to laugh or _cry._

"My brother and Charlie Hogan were up on the porch, They were dumping a stolen car Back Harlow Road, that's how they found the Brower kid. My brother wants Charlie to keep quiet because If they tell the police about the body, they'd have to explain the stolen car. The body's pretty close to Back Harlow Road I think. " Vern breathed heavily after the long explanation he gave us, running his hand over his chocolate brown buzz cut his mother made him get after she insisted he had lice.

I know the Back Harlow Road!" Teddy Duchamp exclaimed, " It comes to a dead end by the Royal River, The train-tracks are right there!"

"Jesus Christ Vern! If Billy knew you were under that porch he would've killed you!" I hissed, and Vern smiled proudly, as if he accomplished something.

Bill or "Billy" Tessio was Vern's older brother, part of the most notorious gang in Castle Rock; The Cobras. The gang composed of Richard "Eyeball" Chambers (Chris's brother), John "Ace" Merril (the leader), Norman "Fuzzy" Bracowicz, Charlie Hogan, and a couple of others that just hung around. We all feared The Cobras, they had tormented us since fifth grade, and when we got into altercations with them we were lucky; only escaping with minor cuts or bruises.

"How did Brower even get from Chamberlain to Harlow? That's really far." Gordie questioned, laying down his favourite Crime magazine issue onto his lap.

"He probably started walking down the tracks and just followed them the whole way." Chris nodded,

"Yeah, and after dark the train must have come along and... el smacko!" Teddy slammed his hands together, as if his hands were the train hitting Ray Brower.

"Yeah" Chris shook his head in disbelief taking a drag from his cigarette.

Chris Chambers had been my best friend since kindergarten, I had met him before I'd met any of the other boys, we were both sitting in the back of the Mrs. Blarney's classroom, (that's where the outsiders sat, in the back) A six year old Chris pointed at my 64 Crayola crayon box and asked if "Crayon boxes really got that _big" _We had been inseparable ever since. A lot of people shunned me for hanging around a "no good Chambers kid" but I didn't really understand why they thought Chris was so...bad.

The Chambers family lived in a shoebox-sized, paint-peeling, and metal fenced grey house. The Chambers family was mostly full of alcoholics and Criminals, Richard "Eyeball" Chambers a Cobra, Martin Chambers, an alcoholic and abusive father who beat Chris almost every night for no reason, and Frank Chambers, who was in prison for killing a young boy from Chamberlain.

Chris was an innocent sandy blonde, blue eyed, down to earth kid, who was almost thirteen; but acted more mature than any adult I've ever encountered. Everyone expected Chris to turn out a low-life just like his brothers and father, and Sadly; Chris was starting to think he was gonna turn into a low life _too. _He wasn't like _them_ though._ But as usual, _The residents of Castle Rock stayed as far as they could away from the Chambers family and Chris, because they were all "trouble"

Chris wasn't allowed in certain areas of Castle Rock, and he was always accused of stealing things, even though it obviously was someone else that did it. It was so horrible seeing Chris fight back tears as he'd be thrown out of a store because he was a "Chambers kid" I sometimes wanted to cry with him.

"Hey, you guys! I bet you anything that if we find him we'll get our pictures in the paper!" Chris exclaimed , putting out his cigarette in one too many of our coca-cola ashtrays that were strewn all over the treehouse.

"Yeah we can be on T.V!" Teddy cried,

"Sure!" Chris grinned,

"We'll be heroes!" Teddy got up from his seat out of excitement, but then sat down.

"I don't know guys, what if Billy finds out? He'll beat the shit out of me if he found out I was sneaking around under the porch!" Vern whined,

"He has a point, it's too dangerous." I mumbled fiddling with the mood ring Chris gave me for my eighth birthday.

"It'll be fine Roo."Chris nodded, and I sighed. I looked down at my slightly torn black converse I had gotten for Christmas last year, twirling a piece of my blonde straw-like hair around my pale finger.

Chris had been calling me "Roo" since we'd met that day in Kindergarten. My real name was Ruby, but I liked Roo, and when all the boys started calling me that, it stuck.

Chris and I met Teddy, Vern and Gordie in third grade. They were all weird in unique ways, Vern would always cry for his mother and talk about how terrifying moths were, Teddy made random gun noises during silent reading which got him sent to the office frequently. Then there was Gordon, who always sat in the corner, scribbling furiously into a leather book. I didn't find out until later that the wine coloured leather book contained a series of short stories. That's why I loved my best friends, they were all one of a kind; not like every other bland person who lived in Castle Rock.

I sat in the corner's almost-broken chair that used to be Teddy's mother's, while my best friends Teddy, Vern, Gordie and Chris exclaimed about big of heroes they were gonna be when theyfound Ray Brower, but I couldn't help but think it was kinda..wrong. _Why use someone's death to be famous?_

"He's not gonna care, 'cause it's gonna be us guys that find him, not Billy and Charlie, and They'll probably pin a medal on you, Vern." Gordie flashed Vern a crooked smile,

"You really think so?" Vern exclaimed, a grin formed onto his peachy-pink face.

"Sure." Chris answered, and leaned back a bit in one of the makeshift milk-carton-chairs.

"Yeah, but what'll we tell our folks?" Vern's face fell a bit and he looked at all of us for answers.

"Well, how bout this, we'll all tell our folks we're tenting out in your back field. You tell your folks you're sleeping over at Teddy's. Then we say we're goin' over to the drag races the next day. We're rock solid 'til dinner tomorrow night."

"That sounds like a plan-and-a-half!" Chris cried, skinning it with Gordie (our special handshake)

"But if we do find the kid's body over in South Harlow, they'll _know_ we didn't go to the drag races. We'll get hided!" I cried,

"Nobody's gonna care Roo, 'cause everybody's gonna be so jazzed about what we found, that it won't make a difference!" Teddy explained and everyone nodded.

"Yeah! My dad would hide me anyway. But hell that's worth a hiding!" Chris grinned.

"Shit yeah!" Teddy cried,

"Let's do it! What do you say?" Chris looked at all of us,

"Sure." Teddy nodded,

"Okay." Gordie smiled,

"Uh..I guess." Vern nodded too, and then all of them looked at me, goofy grins plastered on their flushed faces.

"I don't know guys.." I mumbled, fiddling with one of my mud stained shoe-laces.

"Roo!" Chris whined,

"Comon Roo!" Teddy cried,

"ROOO!" Chris got up and tickled me, I cried out and fell to the ground, all of the boys piled up on top of me,

"STOP STOP STOP!" I shouted,

"Say yes then." Chris grinned,

"UGH FINE OKAY? I'LL GO." I barked, Chris and the boys got off of me smiling.

"Jesus." I grumbled, dusting off my white t-shirt that I stole from Chris.

"Then it's settled." Chris looked at us and we all nodded.

"Tomorrow at noon?" Teddy offered,

"Tomorrow at noon." Chris repeated,

We didn't really say much to each other after that, because we were thinking about tomorrow; the day that would change our lives forever.


	2. Learning To Keep Your Mouth Shut

**Warning: These first couple of chapters are gonna be boring. Sorry :P **

**It's basically an opening, but it's gonna be more exciting as we continue on.**

**Ugh I just want to delete this story..I am gonna try not to though.**

**It's not great I know :P I have a habit of deleting my stories because I am embarrassed.**

**Ignore dah spelling errors :/**

**PM if yah wanna talk or share ideas with me, I am open xo.**

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I walked down one of Castle Rock's slightly busy streets with a navy blue duffle bag thrown over my left shoulder. I couldn't believe I was actually going searching for Ray Brower's body with my best friends. Part of me wished we were really going to the drag races the next morning, but another part of me just wanted to _find him._

"Roo!"

I turned around and saw Chris and Gordie running towards me, holding their backpacks and sleeping bags, grinning ear to ear.

"Hey guys, where's Teddy and Vern?" I asked as we continued walking down the street.

"We're meeting them close to the end of town." Chris confirmed and I nodded. "I got something to show you two first though,"

"What?" Me and Gordie said at the exact same time,

"Follow me." Chris ran into the alley behind Blue Point diner and we followed.

"Come on, man, what is it?" Gordie whined,

"Oh wait till you see this.." Chris shook his head in disbelief and held his sleeping bag close to his chest.

"What is it?!" I exclaimed moving closer to Chris.

Chris looked at us, and then back at his sleeping bag, putting his hands in one of the rolls.

"You ready?" He smirked, looking at Gordie and I's extremely anticipated and impatient expressions.

"Lets see!" I hissed trying to peek into the army green sleeping bag but he backed away. Chris grinned, pulling a gun out of from his sleeping bag, me and Gordie went wide eyed.

"You're wanna be the lone ranger or the Cisco kid?" Chris half whispered, holding the gun in his hands,

"Walkin', talkin', Jesus! Where'd you get this?! " Gordie took the gun from Chris and aimed it at a trash can, making gun noises and pretending to shoot.

"Hawked it from my old man's bureau. It's a .45." Chris smiled proudly standing next to Gordie.

"I can see that, You got shells for it?" Gordie asked, still aiming at the trash can.  
"Yeah. Took all that was left in the box, My dad will think that he used them himself shooting at beer cans while he was drunk." Chris explained,

"Is it loaded?" I whispered, I had never laid my eyes on a real gun before, I had only seen them on T.V. I slowly stood stood on my tip-toes to get a better look, placing my hand on Gordie's shoulder for balance.

"Hell no! Who do you think I am- " Chris started to speak when...

BOOM!

"JESUS!" We all screamed and bolted as fast as we could out of the alley,

I didn't realise what happened until a couple of seconds later. Gordie, out of curiosity; had pulled the trigger of the .45 gun. The gun had fired unexpectedly and we all jumped, it's bullet piercing the tin trash can, making it ten times louder than a gunshot was really supposed to be; I wouldn't be surprised if we woke up the dead in Chamberlain.

After bolting out of the alley, me and Gordie were hunched over; completely out of breath and _furious. _Chris who was laughing hysterically next to us, was receiving hateful glares from Gordie and I.

"Gordie you really did it this time! Gordie Lachance did it! Oh man, and Roo! You shoulda' seen your face!" Chris howled, and Gordie turned beet-red.

"SHUT UP!" I shouted, my hair sticking up in all sorts of directions.

"What!?" Chris cried, a little startled by my tone of voice.

"You know it was loaded you wet-end! Someone could have seen us! We could've been in big trouble!" I cried, my fists clenched to my sides.

"Shit Roo, if someone heard or seen they'd probably think it's firecrackers." He sighed, running his hand over his roughly cut sandy blond hair.

"I DON'T CARE CHRIS! IT WAS A MEAN TRICK." I shook my head and stormed down the side-walk, my ears still ringing from the sound of the gunshot.

"Hey, Roo." I felt Chris's warm hand wrap around my wrist and I turned around, scowling. "I swear I didn't know it was loaded." He looked into my eyes and my expression softened.

"You swear?" I snapped, searching his crystal blue eyes for honesty, and believe it or not; his eyes were filled with the purest honesty of all.

"I swear." He nodded.

"Even on your mother's name?" Gordie said, walking up behind Chris, a half scowl planted on his doe-like face.

Chris turned to face him and nodded. "Yeah."

"Even if she goes to hell because you lied?" Gordie narrowed his eyes,

"Yes I swear!" Chris cried, giving us the _stop-interrogating-me-I-am-not-criminal _look.

"Alright then." I nodded and slipped my wrist out of Chris's warm hand, my stomach fluttered a bit as Chris fingers slowly traced my arm as I pulled away. "_That was weird" _I thought, I never felt odd when Chris touched had me before..

"Truce?" Chris looked at me and Gordie, we both nodded.

"I am sorry." Chris mumbled,

"It's fine." I nodded and flashed him a smile.

"Hey girls, where you goin?" I heard a raspy voice like Chris's but a bit deeper, I recognized the voice right away; Eyeball Chambers.

I turned around, and my stomach tied up in knots. Eyeball towered over me, he was dangling his denim vest over his broad shoulders. He resembled Chris the slightest bit, he had the eyes, voice and body type; but that was about it. The brown hair and button nose wasn't what Chris had. Ace Merrill, the leader of the group, pushed past Eyeball standing in front of him.

Ace took Gordie's Yankees cap off his head without a word, and I saw the angry and helpless look on Gordie's face. That hat meant everything to Gordie, It was his brother's (Who died in a Jeep accident in April) and anything that Denny, (that's his brother's name) gave him now meant everything in the world.

"Hey comon man! My brother gave that to me!" Gordie said desperately trying to reach for it, but it was no use; Ace was just too tall.

"And now you're giving it to me," Ace said without any emotion, holding it up even higher in the air.

"Give it to me! CO-COME ON!" Gordie cried, jumping up like a fish out of water, trying to reach for his hat.

"You're a real asshole you know that?" Chris mumbled and Ace's face fell.

"Your brother isn't very polite Eyeball," Ace said, a horrible dark expression was on his face. He looked like a pitbull wanting to rip Chris apart.

"Now Christopher, I know you didn't mean to insult my friend." Eyeball said in a fake motherly tone, a sickly sweet expression on his face.

Chris stood there as still as stone, his face emotionless. I was surprised that he didn't bolt from them minutes ago,

"Now he has the opportunity of taking it back." Ace growled and grabbed Chris throwing him to the ground.

"Oh shit..." Chris winced,

"LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE." I spat, shaking profusely. I couldn't believe I just said that, but I hated when people bullied us. We weren't weak kids, we all knew that. Ace turned to me; he had the look on his face that said: "You're dead"

"You just signed your own death certificate." Ace grinned, letting go of Chris; who scrambled to his feet. A look of concern was all over is tanned and gentle face. Ace walked towards me, I could smell the whiskey and cigarettes on his hot breath.

"You're gonna apologise." Ace whispered holding up his cigarette really close to my face.

"And if I don't?" I retorted,

"Then you're gonna wish every single day that you did." He inched the cigarette closer to my left cheek, I could feel the heat radiating off my face.

"Roo, just leave it, Lets just go." Chris said calmly,

"I am sorry." I said coolly,

"I'll remember you, you little whore." Ace glared at me for a couple of seconds before He spat on the ground, next to my shoes. He turned and walked away.

"See yeah later girls." Eyeball waved flirtatiously before putting Gordie's hat on top of his head; running after Ace.

Gordie just stared at them for a while, watching Ace and Eyeball get smaller and smaller until they disappeared. I almost thought he was going to burst into tears by looks of his flushed face and trembling body, but he didn't.

"Forget em' Gordie..Just forget em'." I put a hand on Gordie's scrawny shoulder, and we all turned away; like it never happened.


End file.
